Till Death do us Part
by Gyoro and Ururun
Summary: Woltar has told Albel he must get married, so that he can produce an heir and carry on the Nox heritage. Of course, this does not bode well for Albel. Will he go along with this and get married? AlbelxOC.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: **Hey there everyone! This is my fifth fic! And my second Star Ocean fic. I hope this is alright, the chapters will be short, as they go from scene to scene, sorta thing. Please read and review! Constructive criticism allowed, just be nice. x3

**Till Death do us Part**

**Chapter 1**

**Bothersome news**

Albel lay in his room of Woltar's mansion in Kirlsa, staring up at the ceiling. He was in a rather touchy mood; then again, when is his mood ever good? Woltar and the King had been telling him for months that he needed to wed. Problem was, Albel disliked the idea immensely. He did not want to get married; marrying was for fools and maggots. Normal people. So he had taken to sulking in his room. Like a child. The King and Woltar had both tried to explain to him that he should marry and get an heir; after all, he was a nobleman.

Albel sat there thinking about the absurd idea. It was true that he had changed since the events involving Fayt and his weird friends, as he liked to call them. But there was no way he was going to get married. _What psycho maggot girl would be willing to marry me? What a foolish idea. _He wondered how he could get the King and Woltar to quit bugging him about such an annoying issue. He did not need an heir, there was nothing to inherit but his father's bad attitude and as uncaring as Albel may seem, he did not wish for another himself. He accepted his wickedness as a curse that should not be passed on.

Some time later, Woltar came in with a wad of papers.

"Albel, would you stop being so stubborn? You should get married, then you can live more peacefully," Woltar said. Albel turned and looked at the man.

"I do not want to get married, old man. I do not need a descendent who will grow up and be like me. Leave me alone, fool," Albel said. Woltar shook his head and walked further forward, holding out some papers.

"Here, just take a look at all the girls from Kirlsa and Airyglyph," Woltar said. He placed the papers with the pictures of various girls on them in front of Albel and left the room. Albel took hold of the papers and looked through them. He threw them to the ground individually as he dismissed each one. The last one he came to, however, was a pretty blonde girl with long wavy hair and light blue eyes. Sadness possessed the eyes and an aura of mystery shrouded the girl. She was twenty-two and daughter of a poor family, whose father worked in the blacksmiths. For a while Albel just stared at the picture, transfixed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: **Hey!! I know the first chapter was rubbishly small, I realised it even more sometime later when seeing it on the live preview. Gomen ne! Please don't be disheartened! T-T I have more this time! Thanks to Redmoonqueen who reviewed this story! x3 Please read and review! Constructive criticism allowed, just please be nice! Enjoy.

**Chapter 2: Frightening news and a rather eventful meeting.**

Shizuka sat on her bed, staring out of the window. She lived with her parents, helping to earn them enough money to survive. It wasn't so bad, as they lived in Kirlsa, but food was still hard to come by. Shizuka was a timid and sheltered girl, who worked in the nearby store. Every day was dull and the same. But she never complained. She was grateful for what she had. Her melancholic mood had gotten worse just a few weeks ago, when her mother had come in with news that Count Woltar was looking for every girl between twenty and twenty four to hand in a form, to be put forward to a nobleman so that he can choose one lady to wed. She did not mind so much, after all nothing would make her life much better anyway.

Until she found out who it was that she was being put forward towards. Albel Nox. The man who took pleasure in destroying much of the Aquarian neighbours. Even if they were at war with them once before. He also treated his own country with much dislike. Shizuka was scared; but there was nothing she could do about it. She prayed each day that she would not be picked to be the one Albel weds. The thought of having to wed Albel brought great shivers down her spine. So she sat there, gazing out at the setting sun, casting orange into the cold air. The orange reflected in her light blue eyes and it moved slightly as the sun moved.

Sometime later her mother came into her room with an official looking letter. She walked up next to the bed.

"Shizuka…I got a letter from Count Woltar. He writes that Lord Albel chose you to be his bride. I am terribly sorry," her mother said. A frozen ice dagger hit her in the back, spreading cold and fear into her blood; she was to be wed to the master of death, the one thing she dreaded over everything else.

"I…see," Shizuka whispered. Her mother pulled her into a hug.

"I am sure Lord Albel will have changed by now, after all he was one of the ones to save the universe," her mother said, in a desperate attempt to cheer her up. Shizuka did not think her life could get any worse.

* * *

Woltar was overjoyed when Albel came to him telling him he had picked a girl. Albel muttered something about she being the only one that did not seem like a maggot. He had then walked off grumbling about the old man's stupidity. Woltar did not care; for Albel had finally chosen someone and they could now meet the girl today. He made the preparations and hoped that Albel would awaken soon. Soon a knock came at the door. One of the guards opened the door and led a man, a woman and young lady into the house. The girl was wearing a frilly blue dress and a bonnet. She looked rather down and Woltar smiled a welcome to them all. They all bowed/curtseyed; the girl rather grudgingly.

"Welcome to my mansion. So this is the young Shizuka who will be wed to Albel? What a pretty young girl you have Mr and Mrs. Chizenin," Woltar said.

"Thank you very much, Count Woltar. It is an honour to be here and we are just dying to meet Lord Albel. We have heard so many great things about him," Shizuka's father said respectfully. Woltar nodded.

"He is currently sleeping. But how about we talk a little more in the main room? Then a little later, Shizuka and Albel can have some alone time to get to know each other. Would you please step this way?" Woltar asked. Shizuka and her parents followed Woltar into a spacious room full of comfortable chairs. Woltar talked about how happy he was and how much Albel needed to wed. Shizuka spaced out, not wanting to hear them talk on and on about stuff she did not want. Eventually she was snapped back into reality by the sound of something piercing the chair head next to her. She saw a katana wobbling in the chair head and turned her head to see a young man seething in the doorway. He had shouted at Woltar, asking him why he had one of the guards wake him up. He had then thrown his katana in fury.

"Albel! Do not throw your weapons in this mansion. You nearly hit your fiancé-to-be," Woltar said, with an angry look on his face. Albel did not look like he cared.

"What a pity. You should think before you wake me up. I can sleep however long I want. Now I am returning to bed," Albel said. He walked towards Shizuka, who recoiled in fear, and reached over her to retrieve his katana.

"Get a backbone, worm," Albel said. He walked out again, muttering curses under his breath. Woltar turned to Shizuka and her parents.

"I apologise for his behaviour. He does not like taking orders, I am afraid. We will leave it about half an hour and then Shizuka should be able to spend some time with him…" Woltar said. Her parents nodded, Shizuka just stared off to the side. She wished she was anywhere but there right then…

Half an hour later, Woltar led her up to Albel's room and knocked. A grumbling sound came from the inside. Woltar shook his head and knocked again.

"Albel, I have Shizuka here to see you. You can both get to know each other," Woltar called through. Silence came, but Albel answered saying that she could come in. Woltar opened the door and asked Albel to be nice. Shizuka reluctantly entered and Woltar closed the door behind her. She saw Albel lying on a single bed near the window, his back facing her. Shizuka stood there terrified, her legs shaking. Albel started moving, rolling over to face her.

"Oh ho, you're that worm who was shaking over a little sword play," Albel said, with a somewhat evil looking smile across his face. This made Shizuka stiffen and she stared at the floor.

"Look at you. You are shaking like a leaf. Why? You aren't scared of me, are you?" Albel asked. Shizuka shook her head shakily. Albel smiled and unsheathed his sword and threw it towards Shizuka, hitting the door behind her, not actually touching her. But Shizuka ducked with her hands over her ears, screaming.

Albel smirked. His thoughts were correct. He walked towards her and pulled her up, staring into her wide-eyed face, which brimmed with tears and her mouth trembled with fear. Something about her appearance silenced Albel; he just kept staring at her, the sadistic actions and thoughts flowing away from him. Shizuka did not move, lest she anger the strongest swordsman in all of Airyglyph. Albel then smirked.

"Heh, you are rather interesting. I hope you are not going to be trembling for the rest of our lives. After all, we are getting plunged into this stupid thing. You better get used to it, worm," Albel said. He let out a bit of cold laughter and returned to his bed. Shizuka's legs wobbled and she collapsed back down onto the floor. She stared at the floor, tears threatening to fall down her face. Albel lay on his bed thinking over things, musing at the idea of being wed to this weakling.

About an hour later, Woltar came in and told her that her parents were in need of going home. Shizuka stood up quickly and ran out of the room. Woltar had arranged with her parents a time when Albel and Shizuka could get together and walk around town, so that they could get better acquainted. Her parents nodded and led Shizuka out of the grand house, Shizuka with her head down trying to mask her terror.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: **Hey! Sorry for the late update. Please enjoy and leave comments, they're much appreciated! x3

**Chapter 3**

**Fright and Flight.**

Albel was awoken one day the following week to be told he had his 'date' with Shizuka. He was annoyed with being woken so early, but he managed to get up and ready without so much as a throw of a dagger. He walked downstairs to where Woltar was waiting and crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance.

"You are to meet Shizuka at 10am outside the churchyard. Now Albel, I know you would much rather go out and train, or whatever it is you like to do these days, but please be nice to this young lady and treat her with utmost kindness…or atleast do not hurt her in any way or try to scare her. We do not want this young lady to be frightened off," Woltar explained.

"Oh? Well, that's no fun. What are you trying to do to me, old man? You leech all the fun out of everything. That little worm is so on edge, she needs something to bring her to her senses," Albel smirked. Woltar gave him a warning look; one that Albel had never seen before and one that he did not want to see again.

"Oh, come now. I was just joking. I will try to be 'kind' and 'caring' and whatever sissy girl antics there are," Albel said. Woltar eyed his katana fixed onto his belt.

"Why don't you leave your katana behind?" Woltar asked. "That way it will certainly stop you even thinking of hurting this girl."

"Oh no, old man. You're not going to get me to leave this behind. How will I protect her if we suddenly become under attack?" Albel smirked. Woltar nodded, realising Albel was right.

"I see what you mean. Very well, off with you," Woltar said. Albel turned towards the door and smirked, walking towards it.

"Foolish and naïve old man," Albel whispered, before exiting the large house. He walked towards the churchyard, which was not very far away.

Shizuka sat in the kitchen, all ready to go and meet Albel. She dreaded it, every thought of her having to spend the rest of her life with him haunted her, and at night she cried. Her parents were worried about her. 

"Shizuka…everything will be alright. Woltar says Albel has changed, he is a lot nicer now," her mother said, trying her hardest to help her daughter. Shizuka shook her head and stood up, walking towards the door. 

"I suppose I should meet with him now," she whispered, before leaving. She walked through the town and got to the churchyard. She stood there and waited for Albel to arrive. Some time passed, and he was starting to be late. She thought she heard someone coming, but it turned out to be the wind. She sighed. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a katana came flying towards her and caught her clothing, pinning her to the wall. She shrieked in surprise and looked around for her attacker. She looked behind her and saw Albel. She jumped in fright.

"Boo," Albel smirked. She breathed in and out ferociously and stared at him with wide, scared eyes. Albel took the katana back and sneered at her. 

"Well? Are we going to go and do something?" Albel asked. "Or are you going to stand there like a statue all day?" Shizuka shook her head and started walking. Albel walked with her, smiling in an intrigued way at her. They walked through the town, wandering aimlessly. 

"So, what is it that you do around here?" Albel asked. 

"U-um, I work in the g-grocery store," Shizuka whispered. Albel raised an eyebrow.

"Is that it?" He asked. Shizuka nodded. Albel laughed. 

"You need to get out more. Explore. Perhaps learn how to fight," Albel smirked. Shizuka shook her head. Albel smirked. He then pushed her into the wall of the building next to them and stepped closer to her. He slipped his good arm around her waist and leaned his face closer to hers. He stroked her fear filled face with the bridge of his index gauntlet finger, smiling wickedly at her. 

"W-w-what are you doing?" Shizuka screeched. Albel's eyes glittered. 

"Oh, nothing much. Is this not normal for a 'couple'?" Albel smirked. Shizuka's eyes widened and she hunched her shoulders and closed her eyes, in an attempt to stop him. Albel smiled once again and pulled back, laughing coldly. "You are an amusing woman. You had better toughen up, if you are going to survive our years together…And we are going to have to produce an heir."

All colour drained out of her face, as that sudden realisation hit her. She remembered now; Albel needed to marry and have an heir, to carry on the name of Nox…She shuddered; the thought haunted her, that she had to _do that with him. _She shook, and then took off running, screaming all the way home. Albel smirked and walked back to the mansion. Woltar bugged him about the 'date' and Albel gruffly told him that it went fine. After finally having the old man off of his back, he went into his room and lay on his bed, contemplating. Shizuka seemed to be on his mind a lot lately, and it bugged him; it bugged him that some _girl _could affect his thoughts so much. It irritated him. He could not become weak and _like _someone that way. It was preposterous. He would have to do something about it. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Author's note: **Hello! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, your comments are awesome x3 Please read and review! Constructive criticism is fine. Enjoy

**Chapter 4**

**Picnic fun**

Albel got ready one day to leave the mansion, taking along with him a picnic basket full of food. He set off down the streets towards Shizuka's house; he had found out that going on a picnic was a activity that couples would do and since he wanted to try and make this thing work without too much awkwardness, he decided to give it a try. After all, he would be living the rest of his life with this girl. He had to make sure he was not going to kill the poor girl in the process; the 'caring' part of him had atleast that amount of compassion.

He got to the door of her house and knocked on the door. Shizuka's mother opened the door and looked rather startled.

"Lord Albel! What a pleasant surprise!" She said, bowing her head.

"I am here for the worm, so I will be coming in," Albel said. Shizuka's mother looked rather shocked, but could not refuse. She let him past and he walked through the house, up the stairs and looked into each room until he found her snuggled cosily in her bed. He put the basket down near the door and walked towards her bed. He smirked, a somewhat evil look appearing in his eyes. He crept onto the bed, crawling to be hovering over her with his face looking down at her sleeping one. Sometime later Shizuka moved a little, coming to rest on her back. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked a few times, seeing someone hovering over her. Albel. She screamed and pulled the covers up to hide her face, throwing Albel off of the bed and onto the floor. Shizuka gasped when she heard the thump and poked her head over the side of the bed, seeing Albel on his back. She sat back, wide-eyed and scared.

"I-I am so sorry! I did not mean to push you onto the floor!" Shizuka stammered. Albel sat up, rubbing his head.

"Bah. Let's just go," Albel said, getting up and pulling her out of her bed. She turned bright red as he saw her in her night gown. He turned around, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks. "I will wait outside. Just get changed and do not attempt escaping. I will find you." He walked out of the room, picking up the basket on the way.

Shizuka got changed and walked out of her room, to see Albel standing there looking as moody as ever.

"Done? Finally. We are going out, come," he said, pulling her by the arm. She could do nothing but go along with him, in fear of his wrath. He led her through the streets and out of the town into the hills that surrounded Kirlsa. Albel lay out a blanket for them to sit down on. He sat down on the floor, gesturing for her to join him. He brought out a lot of food and lay them out on the blanket.

"I hope you are hungry," Albel said. Shizuka nodded a little and knelt down on the blanket. "Well? Take as much food as you want, there is plenty." Shizuka nodded quickly and picked up a sandwich, eating with a shaking hand. Albel watched her silently, inside shaking his head about her silliness.

"So…how have you been?" Albel asked, not sure what to say. He was sure that if she got over her fear of him, she would speak to him more and they would have a normal conversation. Shizuka gulped down her food and nodded.

"I have been fine…" she replied, her eyes seeming to show that she had been feeling down about the whole arrangement.

"Hmm," was all Albel could reply. He could see she was lying, but he did not want to press it any further.

Shizuka picked up a drink and poured it into a glass. She picked up a biscuit and took a bite. She suddenly spilled her drink and the biscuit stayed in her mouth. Albel jumped forward to help her and when he had, he cheekily took a bite from the biscuit in her mouth and snapped a piece from it. He smirked as she got flustered and jumped back, so much so that she fell backwards onto her back. He spied blue underwear underneath all of the frills and quickly stood up, walking over to help her up. She shook as she was pulled back into sitting position. She turned her face and saw Albel sitting rather close to her. He stopped her moving away.

"Stop moving away, worm. We are getting married whether you like it or not, so you had better start getting used to me," Albel said bluntly. Shizuka looked at him fearfully, but did not say anything. Albel turned back to eating.

After some time, Albel and Shizuka packed up the picnic and headed back to Kirlsa. Albel was thinking all the way back, thinking about her and how this was probably not going to work. She was far too scared of him. He sighed and they got to standing outside her house. He turned to her.

"I want to talk to you about something, can we go inside?" He asked. She nodded and led him up to her room. He turned to her and sighed.

"This whole marriage thing is not going to work; you are obviously totally against it. I am going to talk to Woltar and have him cancel the arrangement," Albel explained. He wondered why his heart sank when he said those words. He shook himself internally. Shizuka gave a faint smile and bowed.

"T-thank you very much, Lord Albel…I am sorry for the inconvenience…I am just…I am not very comfortable around you…I am sorry," she whispered. Albel nodded.

"No need to apologise, worm. It was obvious you disliked me and I am neither shocked nor angry," Albel said. He gave a gruff wave and left the house.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: **Sorry for the late update, but I had issues with Word. Darned thing.

**Chapter 5**

**Oh woe is me…**

"Come now, Albel. You must get married and produce an heir! Do you want your bloodline to cease?" Woltar asked, frantic at Albel's news of not marrying Shizuka. Albel was sat on a chair reading, with a finger in one of his ears, as if trying to block Woltar out. After some time of Woltar ranting on and on about it, he looked up.

"Are you done yet old man?" Albel asked. A small pout appeared on Woltar's face.

"I'm serious, Albel. You must-," he started.

"I am not listening. I already tried and I failed. Big deal. Now, leave me alone," Albel said.

"What am I going to do with you? You don't just try and give up after the first failure," Woltar said.

"I realise that, but this is different…" Albel said.

"How is this different?" Woltar asked.

"Because I think I like that worm, alright?" Albel snapped, his glare at Woltar hostile, but with a hint of sadness in them.

It was true. Albel had sat in his room for days, trying to figure out why he had had so much fun with the girl. Why he had chosen the girl in the first place. He had got very moody when even the thought that it could be _love _entered his mind. He refused to believe such a stupid idea. _I do not fall in love! How preposterous. _Then…why did his heart feel so heavy when he told Shizuka not to worry about the marriage? He had laid in bed for some time, sighing and contemplating. He eventually came to the conclusion; it must be love. He hated it, but it was true and there was nothing he could do about it.

"You like Shizuka? Then, why on earth did you turn her down?" Woltar asked. A sad smile came onto Albel's face.

"Heh…did you not see the fear she had in her? Her fear of me? She is better off not being with me," Albel said. Woltar blinked, as he watched Albel's expression and heard his words; there it was. Albel had grown up and changed. He no longer cared for only himself.

"So, what you are saying, is that you love her enough to want her to be happy?" Woltar asked. Albel suddenly smiled a little dreamily.

"Yes…I would rather her be happy than be with me," Albel whispered. Woltar stayed quiet, unsure of what to say to that. After sometime, Woltar sighed.

"You're growing up, Albel. Your father would be proud," Woltar said.

"Heh…" Albel said.

*** * * ***

Albel lay around, moping as usual. Woltar was going through various other papers with pictures and descriptions of various girls that were around his age. He was not listening. He did not really want to be with any other girl; the only one he seemed to want was the one he could not be with. He sighed.

"Back off, old man. Can't you see I am not happy with this? Can't you see that I'm not in the mood?" He said. Woltar sighed and grumbled, walking out of the room. Albel rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes. Was this what it felt like to be heartbroken? Because it was awful.

Woltar came swooning back in with an excited expression and a letter in his hand. Albel looked at him in disgust.

"Didn't I just tell you to get out?!" He asked spitefully. Woltar shook his head.

"It does not matter, Albel! The wedding is back on. This is a letter saying that Shizuka has changed her mind and decided she wants to carry on with the plans," he said. Albel's eyes widened and he snatched the letter out of his hands. This was surreal. He read the letter and was silent. But she was scared of him. Why would she change her mind? Change of heart? He wondered….

"Isn't it great Albel? Now you can be with the one you like!" He said, quite happy. Albel looked up at him and stayed silent for a bit. Something was surely up.

"I don't know. It seems rather strange that she has suddenly changed her perspective of me," he said.

"Maybe time apart made her realise that she likes you really," Woltar replied.

"Huh…" He replied. He would find out soon enough.

*** * * ***

Throughout the next week, wedding plans were being made and Woltar was rushing around getting things ready. The wedding would be in Airyglyph and the party in the castle. Albel just sat around, answering various questions. He had not been allowed to see his fiancée, Woltar wanting to keep up a tradition of not seeing the bride before the wedding or something stupid like that. So Albel just sat around, not seeming to have cheered up much. He still felt there was something wrong with all of this. He was happy that he could see her again, but he was also dubious and…_worried?! _It was all very preposterous.

On the day, he was dressed up in smart clothes and they took a carriage to the church; they had stayed in the castle the night before the wedding, and Shizuka was likely to have stayed in a nice inn. He walked down the aisle and waited at the top for the music to indicate that she had started her walk down the aisle. Then he would know exactly what the predicament was when he saw her.

The music started and he turned to see Shizuka walking down the aisle in a beautiful white dress. She looked rather nervous and eventually came to be standing next to him. He stared at her for a while. He thought about how pretty she was, but shook that from his mind as he tried to work out what she was thinking. He reached his normal hand over slowly and inconspicuously, and took her hand in his. She gasped and looked up with her frightened eyes; she could not hide it from him. Just as he thought. Something was wrong.

He looked around the room while the priest went on and on through the wedding stuff. He spotted her mother; she was surrounded by a few shady looking people that would not be suspicious to anyone but him. Well, even then, they had tried to not look suspicious. He turned back and looked back down at her.

"Albel Nox, do you take Shizuka Yukiko Chizenin to be your lawfully wedded wife…" He asked, with all of the drabble afterwards that Albel was not really listening to.

"No," he replied. Gasps came from the rest of the room and Woltar was besides himself, saying that Albel needed to make up his mind. Shizuka looked positively frightened, glancing between him and her mother. Albel looked around and made a small gesture in the air with his gauntlet. Numerous Black Brigade personnel came out and surrounded the shady characters surrounding Shizuka's mother. Albel walked down the aisle and brought out his own sword upon the one nearest to her mother. He looked to her mother and gestured with his head for her to move.

"So, what was it that you threatened Shizuka with in order for her to marry me, huh? And why?" He asked. More gasps were heard and Shizuka was shocked. He had figured that out? And he was helping her? Her mother had run to Shizuka and was hugging her and her father.

"Grr…we threatened to kill her parents if she didn't comply…" one of them growled.

"For what reason? Let me guess, you were just trying to help. You're extremists. And you're pathetic," Albel sneered.

"You're bringing down the nation by being so fussy! You're the last of the great house of Nox," another muttered.

"I'll do what I like. My father would not approve of such behaviour and neither will I. Men, lock them up," Albel said. The Black Brigade took them away and Albel walked up the aisle back to Shizuka.

"Heh…well, you're free to go. Just tell me…why the hell didn't you tell me about the threat?!" He asked. Shizuka jumped a little and shook her head.

"If I did, they would have killed my mother and father," she whispered. Albel shook his head.

"Bah. I would have caught them. No matter. You're now free to go," he said. Shizuka looked down and shook her head.

"Lord Albel…could I please first have a minute to myself? I'm just so flustered…" she whispered. Albel nodded, wondering why she needed to clear her head when she was free to clear her head all she liked without all of this.

Shizuka nodded and turned quickly to bow to the King, who was in audience, and ran swiftly into a back chamber with her mother in tow. Her mother smiled at her.

"You like him, don't you?" She asked. Shizuka stayed quiet for a moment.

"I'm not sure. He's just so…much nicer than I originally thought. He did all of that and for a second time told me I did not have to do this," Shizuka whispered. Her mother smiled.

"Count Woltar told me that Albel was rather upset with having to let you go. That he said he would have rather seen you happy than unhappy with him," she said. Shizuka looked up alarmed.

"What?!" She asked. Her cheeks went a little red and she sighed. She looked back up. "I guess…I'll marry him. They have spent all of this money and…I'm starting to see another side to him. I think I can grow to like him." Her mother nodded and hugged her. They walked back in and Shizuka walked up to Albel.

"Lord Albel…do you still want to marry me?" She asked shyly. Albel's eyes widened a little.

"What?" He said, taken aback. "You're…actually considering this?" Shizuka nodded.

"You're nicer than I thought and I'm sorry for causing you hurt," she said. Albel just stood there, trying to take it all in. He nodded and turned to the priest.

"Let's carry on where we left, just cut out all of the boring parts," he said. The priest nodded and carried on. They said all of the things they had to and were holding hands by the end of it. Shizuka could tell he was trying not to hurt her with his gauntlet hand.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Shizuka became flustered at this part, rather nervous at the thought. Albel stood there for a moment, contemplating whether this was actually a good idea or whether he should have just run away at the start. He sighed and ducked down, touching his lips to hers. He would get used to this affection thing eventually. Hopefully. Everyone cheered and Albel took her hand, walking her back down the aisle. They were led into a carriage and they were whisked away to go and spend some time alone somewhere. Kind of like a honeymoon.

**The End.**

**Author's note: **And they all lived happily ever after. Except Fayt, who still has a 'but' problem. If you don't know what I mean, you were obviously not bored/mocking enough to notice how many times our favourite blue haired UPC ruler of the earth says the word 'but…!'

I have contemplated an epilogue. I may do one if ideas come to mind. If not, it's still a happy ending.


End file.
